Temporal Giant Cell Arteritis

Question: Vasculitis and sexual intercourse? I'm a 42-year-old man diagnosed with Giant Cell Arteritis, which is affecting my temporal arteries, my right eye and the brain. As if things weren't challenging enough between my young age and the rarity of a vasculitis, my girlfriend is afraid of having sexual intercourse with me out of fear that I could burst a blood vessel in the brain. I researched this on the internet and can find no information one way or another, but I don't believe that there are any risks to me having sex with vasculitis. My biopsy on the right side of my head has nearly completely healed and my question is this: Is my girlfriend's concern warranted or not. I would like serious anwers to this question only. Thanks.

Answer: From my point of view, I don't see any dangers in you having sex. As you said, your disease seems to be in remission for the moment. The common complications known for GCA are aortic aneurysms, stroke, or chest pain. I'm assuming the doctors did an ultrasound of your heart to exclude aneurysms or inflammation of the coronary arteries (if you don't have any symptoms that suggest involvement of coronary arteries, it's safe to say that you won't be having an aneurysm or chest pain). Now, about popping a vein in your head: it is indeed true that your blood vessels are weakened by the inflammation, but the way you described your case, it sounds as if you are currently in remission. There is always the possibility of a vessel burst, but since you are still young and your arteries fairly healthy (I'm assuming), the chances of that happening to you aren't that great. In my opinion (med student a few weeks short of graduation), I don't think there's any danger in having sex, unless it's strenuous and exhausting. Just make sure you don't overdo it. If you want to be extra-sure, call your doctor.